Lucky In Love (Silver Bay Book 3)

by Amelia Judd

  Thank God, there was no flight attendant. They were alone except for the captain and copilot behind a door at the front of the plane.

  He cupped one breast and ran his thumb across the silky fabric covering her nipple. Letting out a gratifying purr-like noise, Claire dropped her head back and ground her hips against the rigid length of him. Loving her response, he flicked his thumb across her nipple again before giving the same attention to her other perfect breast.

  “I need to touch you,” she panted, yanking his shirt out of the waistband of his pants and fumbling to undo the buttons. Her unsteady fingers were unable to finish the job. “Screw it.” She grabbed his shirt and ripped it open, launching the last two buttons across the aisle. She shoved his shirt wide and stared at him. “Finally,” she murmured, running her hands up his abs and across his chest.

  Now. He had to have her now. He slid his hands to her ass and lifted her to straddle his waist. “Come on. I can’t wait another damn minute to peel that dress off of your beautiful body, and I don’t want to get caught bare-assed in the seats.”

  With another sultry-sounding laugh, she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to his shoulders as he maneuvered them down the narrow aisle. “You give a whole new meaning to in-flight service.”

  He chuckled, boosted her higher to support her with one arm, and then slowly lowered the long zipper running the length of her dress with his free hand. “I aim to please.”

  Claire threaded her fingers through his hair and tugged, positioning his mouth inches from hers. “Me too.” She dropped her mouth to his in a fiery kiss that rocketed a fierce bolt of desire straight to his groin.

  Which totally screwed with his finesse. But even though he bumped into a few seats along the way, he managed to get them to the back of the plane in record-breaking time.

  “That was a wild ride, cowboy.” Claire grinned down at him as they jolted to a stop against the back wall.

  “Sorry.” He nuzzled her neck and squeezed her ass. “My equilibrium is off. Too much blood flowing south.”

  Laughter bubbled through her. “You could have blamed it on turbulence.”

  “Damn. Good point.” He nipped her neck, making her squirm in response. “Can I change my answer?”

  “Nope, but you can make it up to me by being just as wild on the other side of the bathroom door.” She giggled and buried her head in the crook of his neck. “I never thought those words would come out of my mouth. Ever. We really have kicked romance to the curb, haven’t we?”

  “Whatever makes you happy,” he murmured against her soft skin.

  With Claire still wrapped tightly around him, they stumbled, half-undressed and laughing, through the bathroom door. Ethan’s blood hummed with a mixture of lust, elation, and love. He’d never been happier in his life. And in the sound of Claire’s throaty laughter and the look in her expressive eyes, he could tell she felt the same.

  Tonight, he couldn’t lose.

  Chapter 14

  CLAIRE slid from his arms and ran her gaze up and down the gorgeous man in front of her. His chest heaved, his breathing as ragged as hers. Even though the edges of her vision blurred, Ethan remained perfectly in focus.

  She watched him kick the bathroom door shut behind them, the movement emphasizing the contours of his abs. Desire flowed through her, pooling in a pulsing ache between her thighs. Suddenly, her dress felt too tight around her swollen breasts. She slipped off the straps and shimmied until the fabric slid down her body, pooling in a glossy circle at her feet.

  Ethan groaned as he did a slow scan down her. His gaze lingered on her naked breasts, lacy black panties, and of course, her notorious shoes. “You’re perfect,” he murmured, stripping off his shirt.

  He wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her into him until she was flush against his erection. She gasped in pleasure and arched her back to increase the pressure on her pulsing core. Ethan took advantage of the position and licked, sucked, and nipped at her breasts. He teased the swollen flesh, circling her nipples but never touching. She thrashed in his arms, trying to maneuver, coax, and eventually beg him to take her into his mouth.

  Beyond desperate, she resorted to threats. “Ethan, I swear, if you keep toying with me, I’ll make you pay.” Damn. Rather than stern, her voice sounded breathless and wanton.

  “That sounds more like a reward than a punishment.”

  “It won’t feel like one. I’ll make you just as desperate and out-of-control as I feel.”

  “Looking forward to it.” He slid aside the wisp of fabric between her legs and sucked her aching nipple into his mouth.

  Claire’s every nerve was focused on what he was doing to her. “Please, Ethan.” She squirmed against him.

  He traced her wetness with a finger and bit down softly on her nipple in his mouth. She clung to his shoulders, spread her legs as far as the space allowed, and leaned back even more, desperate to give him complete access.

  His fingers finally found her sensitive apex. Slowly, oh so slowly, he circled her once, twice. Already she was shaking on the edge of release. When his hand left her heated center, she whimpered in frustration.

  “It’s okay, honey. I won’t leave you like this,” he murmured.

  Shifting breasts, he sucked her other peak into his mouth and slipped two fingers inside her. She cried out and rocked against his hand. He pulled out and pushed into her again, finding and circling her tight bundle of nerves with his thumb.

  Claire threw her head back and screamed his name as she shook in mindless release. Clinging to his shoulders, she gasped for breath as wave after wave of pleasure rolled through her.

  Slipping his fingers from her, Ethan looked at her with a mixed expression of pleasure and pride. “That was the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen,” he growled.

  A bump of turbulence shook the floor. Claire felt the plane turn to the right, and Ethan gripped her hips to steady her. Her body tightened again. The first taste of pleasure had only made her crave him more.

  Damn it, she needed to accomplish that not-so-ridiculous-anymore mission statement. She needed to score with him. Right now. She eyed the luxury bathroom with a scowl. While pristine and spacious by commercial plane standards, it still wasn’t large enough for them to maneuver easily. How were they supposed to manage sex?

  “Claire, honey, I’m sorry. I should have never … not in here. Not like this.” Ethan gently tipped her chin up to face him. Regret etched his taut expression.

  “Huh?” she asked, distracted.

  “You look upset. I’m sorry—”

  “Ethan,” she interrupted, waving off his concern, “stop apologizing for the best orgasm of my life and help me figure out a way for us to have sex in here.”

  She turned her back to him, assessing the sink. They couldn’t stop now. She still hadn’t “tried him on,” so to speak. Maybe she could balance on the narrow countertop …

  She heard the metallic clank of Ethan unbuckling his belt and the sound of his zipper lowering. She met his heated gaze in the mirror. Her spirits lifted even more when he placed a condom on the countertop beside them. A husky laugh slipped from her throat.

  “Did you come up with a game plan?” she asked, stepping from the panties he’d peeled off of her from behind.

  Watching her in the mirror, Ethan reached one arm around her to toy with her breasts and slid the other hand across her belly, heading lower. “I’m a true believer that you can accomplish anything if you want it badly enough.” He kissed and suckled her neck while his fingers toyed, teased, and tormented her.

  He continued the exquisite torture until she was panting and thrashing in his arms. Unable to take any more, Claire reached back and wrapped her hand around his impressive erection.

  Ethan gasped and tensed behind her. “Claire,” he said in warning.

  With a surge of feminine power, she stroked the length of him and circled her thumb over his slick end. “Yes?” she asked in an innocent tone, studying his
reaction in the mirror.

  “If you keep doing that”—he broke off, groaning as she did it again—“this is going to be over sooner than either of us wants.”

  She spun in his arms, facing him at last. “The sooner we finish, the sooner we can start again.” She reached for the condom. “Time to see if you fit,” she whispered to herself, her words barely louder than a thought.

  He stilled. “Honey, I’m not a small guy.” He shook his head, looking equally confused and concerned. “But I’ve never had a problem fitting before.”

  “Sorry.” She fought a laugh. “Metaphor.”

  “Do I wanna know?”

  “Nope.” She handed him the condom.

  He studied her for a breathless moment, then made quick work of rolling on the condom. He boosted her up to straddle his waist again, only this time, they were skin to skin. With the tip of his warm, hard erection positioned directly between her thighs, Ethan turned them around and maneuvered until her back rested pressed against the door.

  She clung to his shoulders, propped one slutty shoe on the tiny countertop and braced the other one against the wall. She arched her back and squirmed, desperate to feel him inside her. Ethan cupped her bottom to hold her steady. He rotated his hips, spreading her slickness, and moved forward inch by inch in the most frustratingly slow pace in the entire flipping world.

  Done waiting, Claire slammed her hips into him, burying him to her core. She cried out in pleasure as her body stretched to accommodate his size.

  Ethan swore but didn’t pull away. Instead, he gripped her hips and held her flush to his groin. Claire wiggled and shifted, craving friction, pressure, release.

  He began rotating his hips, stimulating the nerve endings deep inside her in a rhythm designed to drive her out of her mind. Circling inside, pulling completely out, thrusting back in … Each shift in movement brought her closer to the edge. She whimpered from the denied gratification.

  Finally, his control snapped. With a ragged oath, he thrust in and out of her with a building, blinding speed. She threw her head back, fought to spread her legs wider, and arched against him. Every muscle in her body tensed, craving blissful release. He drove into her over and over, slamming her back into the door.

  She screamed out and fell over the edge. Spasming around him, her muscles clutched to keep him inside her every time he slid from her before thrusting back in.

  As she rode the waves of pleasure back to earth, Ethan tensed, cried out her name, and slammed into her one final time.

  Still holding her to him, he leaned forward to rest his forehead next to her against the door. “I’m going to need you to travel with me from now on,” he panted, catching his breath. “Never going to be satisfied with a movie and a bag of pretzels again.”

  Claire lowered her feet to the floor. Thankfully, even with wobbly legs and F-me shoes, she managed to support herself. “I’m sure you can get along without me.” She patted his shoulder and moved to step by him with a teasing smile.

  “Maybe I don’t want to.” His serious expression and grave voice surprised her.

  The room instantly felt ten times smaller.

  Claire gulped and tried to think of a way to lighten the pulsing intensity. “You might reconsider when you see what I did to your expensive shirt.” She bent down, scooped up a pile of his clothes, and shoved them into his chest.

  She retrieved her panties and dress, and with her back to him, she struggled to get redressed. She could feel Ethan dressing too. She bumped her shin on the toilet and her funny bone on the faucet, doing her best to avoid contact with him.

  Swearing under her breath, she fought back her rising anxiety. What the hell had she done? Nothing like having mind-blowing sex in an airplane bathroom with a fake much-younger boyfriend who happened to be your son’s soccer coach to really make you question the life decisions that had brought you to this point. She sucked in a breath and then another. She felt a major freak-out moment coming on.

  Two warm hands gripped her shoulders. “Don’t overthink this,” Ethan soothed, turning her to face him.

  “I’m not,” she lied, rather poorly judging by his skeptical look.

  “It may have lacked romance, but nothing that happened between us was wrong. No need to feel embarrassed.”

  “I ripped the buttons off your shirt!” Claire scrunched her eyes closed. “I was totally out of control.” She bit her lip and pressed her fingertips to her temples.

  “I know.” He took her hands in his and lowered them from her face. “I loved it.”

  She made a face.

  “And I also love that you’re a strong, capable woman who has a grip on everything.” He brushed each of her open palms with a soft kiss. “But anytime you wanna let go for a little while, I’ll catch you.”

  Doing her damnedest not to hyperventilate, Claire studied the amazing man in front of her. She might have a few years on him in age, but she had nothing on him in maturity or strength of character.

  Ethan’s unique blend of patience and persistence was incredibly appealing. Whether a professional soccer player, a volunteer coach, or a pretend boyfriend, he was determined to do his best and dedicated himself fully to whatever job he undertook. He was kind, intelligent, funny, good to her kids, gorgeous and the perfect fit—metaphorically speaking—and rather than getting upset about her independent streak and control issues, he accepted who she was while also promising to be there for her if she ever cared to change.

  Searing love pierced her heart and burned into her soul. Her fears were confirmed. She’d totally screwed up and had fallen completely in love with Ethan.

  She sucked in a breath and blew it out. Her fingers turned numb, and her heart slammed against her chest.

  Ethan gripped her hands, his expression instantly concerned. “What’s wrong?”

  She couldn’t seem to stop shaking her head. “I’m an idiot. I knew from the beginning you were only in town temporarily. I warned my kids over and over again not to get too attached. ‘Ethan’s a great guy, but he’ll be going back to his real life soon, so don’t be upset when he leaves.’ And what the hell did I do?” Her voice squeaked, her words racing as quickly as her heart. “I fell in love with a famous soccer star who can return to the excitement of professional sports and dating pop stars and active-wear models whenever he wants.”

  “I told you. I’m retired from soccer.” His bright-blue eyes shone. He looked beyond pleased with himself. “I’m also retired from casual dating.”

  “ESPN reported your team doubled its offer for you to return.”

  He shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to accept. I’ve actually been working on a plan to go to college. I’ve been accepted to a university in England. But now I’m thinking about applying to Marquette instead since I could commute there from Silver Bay. I’d like to get a teaching degree.”

  “You’d be a great teacher, but what about soccer?”

  “I’ve made a hell of a lot of sacrifices for it over the years. The relationship with my mom, fun, friendships, and nearly every second of my free time as a kid. Hell, sometimes it felt like I didn’t even have a childhood. After countless years of competitive play, my body aches, which I could ignore, but I’ve lost the hunger that used to drive me. And that I can’t ignore.” He blew out breath. “I’ve got little desire to go back now and compete against kids ten years younger than me and looking to prove themselves.” A crooked smile lifted the corner of his sexy mouth. “I told you. I’ve set my sights on a new goal. A better goal.” He traced his thumb down her jawline and across her bottom lip.

  Heat crept up her neck and a nervous giggle slipped out. “Think you already scored that goal.”

  “Not quite.” Reaching into his pocket, Ethan pulled out a tiny velvet bag. “I’d planned a candlelit dinner, sunset walk, and even a few French love songs leading up to this, but considering your continued distrust of romance, I can’t think of a better place to ask you to spend your life with me than an airplan
e bathroom.”

  Claire gasped, stunned. Thoughts careened in her head, making it impossible to think straight, let alone form actual words.

  Ethan slipped a silver ring with an enormous emerald-cut diamond from inside the bag.

  Her heart stopped, then pounded back into action.

  “I love you, Claire. I love your strength and warmth, your intelligence and independence. I love that you’re an amazing mom, patient sister, and caring friend who’s willing to help fix any problem. I love that when I’m with you, you make me so damn happy that I spend my days thinking of ways to make you happy too.” He paused and swallowed hard. “I didn’t even know anything was missing until I met you. Now, I can’t go back to my old life. It’s not enough anymore. I want to be with you. I need to be with you.” He took a shaky breath that ended in a hopeful smile. “Marry me, Claire.” He extended the sparkly ring toward her. “I need you by my side now and forever.”

  Her pulse beat wildly in her neck, and the white noise of rushing blood filled her ears. She had to say something but didn’t know what to say. What could she say? What should she say? She watched his smile slip and the corners of his eyes tighten and knew her silence was freaking him out. It was freaking her out too. She had to say something!

  “Change,” she forced out before the thick lump of emotion in her throat suffocated the rest of her words.

  He blinked.

  She cringed.

  God, she hated surprises.

  Chapter 15

  ETHAN tilted his head to the side and studied her, his eyebrows squished together in confusion. “Honey, I’ll change whatever you want. The ring, this rumpled shirt, my hair color—anything, just name it.”

  Claire’s giggle held a tinge of hysteria. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that you needed to change. You’re wonderful and so is your hair. And for what it’s worth, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for this rumpled, button-missing shirt.” She placed her palm over his heart and smoothed a wrinkle.